Door closer



April 5, 1955 .J. D. LANGDON DOOR CLOSER Filed Feb. 13, 1951 FIG.

FIG. 3

INVEN TOR United States Patent DOOR CLOSER Jesse D. Langdon, EastRockaway, N. Y. Application February 13, 1951, Serial No. 210,667 7Claims. (CI. 16-66) The primary object of the invention is to provide asimple door closing device with a low manufacturing cost.

Another object is slamming of a door.

A further object is to trap air in a chamber and squeeze same through arestricted bypass communicating between a closed end of a chamber andthe atmosphere.

Other and further objects and purposes will appear during progress ofthe specification, as illustrated by the drawing, showing three forms ofreduction to practice subject to being changed within the scope of theclaims.

The drawing is diagrammatic:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a door hinged to a door frame orjamb, partly cut away in section together with a stabilizing plug madeof resilient deformable material inserted into the adjoining faces ofthe door and frame.

Fig. 2 is a view of a transverse section of Fig. l as at 2-2 with thedoor ajar.

Fig. 3 is an alternate form of the invention, partly cut away in sectionand similar to Fig. 1.

lg. 4 is a transverse section of another form of my invention.

The designating characters indicate: door D, door jamb or frame J, hingeH, compression chambers CC, air bypass AB, a stabilizer plug made ofresilient flexible ma- 'terial SP, and an alternative form of stabilizerplug SP1 having a flange F, socket sleeve S and metal insert disc I.

The description and operation of the invention is substantially asfollows:

A door closer plug SP Fig. 1 made of rubber-like material of deformablenature is loosely fitted and inserted into oppositely disposed chambersCC-CC, one chamber concomitant with a door frame or jamb J, the oppositechamber concomitant with the edge of a door D hinged at H to said frameJ, said plug SP being of a length to remain in both to provide a deviceto prevent the chambers CCCC at all times subject to being distorted bybending between the two chambers when the door is opened, as illustratedby Fig. 2. At least one end of saidplug SP is reciprocating in onechamber CC during the opening and closing of the door D, and providesresilient piston means formed by either one or both ends of member SPsubject to being expanded by air compressed within at least one of saidchambers. A bypass AB is formed by the normal space provided around saidplug SP thereby serving to check closing of the door, thus minimizingslamming of the door D; the entire length of that part of said plug SPremaining within and reciprocating in at least one chamber CC beingsubject to frictional stress against the wall of such chamber.

Itwill be noted that the member SP1 of Fig. 3 is provided with flangedends having a relatively hard insert I incorporated in the flangedportions F-F. Flanged sleeves SS are inserted into the respectivechambers and held in position by screws, the ends of the sleevesinserted into respective bores CC-CC serving as effective stop means toprevent the withdrawal of any flange from either chamber. Thisconstruction may be used to limit the reciprocation of member SP1 to anyextent desired in either the door D or frame I.

The member or plug SP as of Figs. 1 and 2 is loosely inserted into boththe door D and frame or jamb J and floats within both chambers CC-CC. Byanchoring one end in the manner shown by Fig. 3, only one end will endsWhen the door is released,

be loosely inserted in the manner illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2.

To install the device as of Fig. 1 chambers CC are recessed or boredinto the edge of door and jamb, the chambers having open endsregistering with one another. The plug SP is inserted to extend betweenthe two cham' bers CC. If it is desired to use compressed air forcushioning effect, plug P is made slightly shorter than the combinedlength of the two chambers. If, on the other hand, it is desired tocushion the door against slamming by using plug SP1 as of Fig. 3 toabsorb the rebound set up by swinging of door D, plug SP1 can be madelonger than the aggregate depth of the two chambers and held underconstant state of compression by suitably hinging the door D; see Fig.3.

The installation as of Fig. 1 shows plug SP floating freely in the twochambers CC with slight clearance forming air bypass means AB aroundplug SP. When the door is swung open or held ajar, plug SP is bothstretched d bent, pulling the two ends away from the closed ofrespective chambers CC, stretching one side and compressing the oppositeside of plug SP, making same smaller or thinner in diameter laterallyand wider vertically at the bend permitting air to bypass more freelybetween plug SP and chamber walls formed by the bores. the resiliency ofplug SP will cause the door to assume normal closed position. When theplug SP is released from tension, the ends thereof acting as pistonmeans compress air in the chambers CC against the respective ends of theplug SP thus forcing air to bypass between the walls of the chambers CCand the plug SP thereby checking the movement of the door D.

The installation as of Fig. 3 is made in substantially the same way asof Figs. 1 and 2, except that the chambers are made large enough indiameter to permit insertion of sleeve S into the respective chambersCC. The inner ends of socket sleeves S impinge flanges F, metal insertsl are imbedded and vulcanized into flanges F as reinforcements toprevent plug SP1 from being withdrawn from respective chambers CC whendoor is swung open. With the flange type of plug, there are two factorswhich can contribute to cushion door D against slamming, namely, (:1)expansion and contraction of plug SP1, stretching same from chambers CCby opening movement and compressing plug SP1 into the chambers by theclosing movement. This effect is best obtained by fitting plug SP1snugly into chambers CC and sleeve S. (b) By providing plug SP1 longerthan the combined length of the two chambers CC and installing sameunder a state of compression.

It is self evident and fully anticipated that one end of plug SP may bemade as in Figs. 1 and. 2 and the opposite end of plug SP1 made as inFig. 3 whereby the combined effect of either form as shown by Fig. 4 maybe used by leaving at least one end of the plug as of SP2 free to movewithin either of the chambers CC.

Having described the invention and the operation and use thereof thefollowing claims are made:

1. A door closer comprising plug means made of a solid body ofdeformable rubber-like material forming a piston capable of distortingand returning to normal shape, the opposite ends of said plug meansinserted into the co-facing open ends of opposed chamber means recessedinto adjacent portions of a door and frame, at least one end of saidplug being unsecured in one of said chambers, said chambers having openends registering with one another, the plug means extended into the0pposite chambers at all times when said door is in any position, atleast one end of said plug being free to move and slide in accordancewith the movement: of said door, said door hinged to said frame, saidplug means normally holding said door in closed position, said] plugsubject to being bent between and exerting a lateral frictional stressagainst the walls of said chambers, at least one end of said plug meansbeing slidably mounted for free movement in one of said chambers to bedisplaced therein when the door is opened and closed, said plug of alength to remain extended in said chambers when the door is fullyopened.

2. A device as defined by claim 1 wherein at least one of the distalends of the opposed chambers is closed to form a compression chamber andincluding bypass means communicating between the closed chamber end andatmosphere, at least one end of said plug forming piston meansreciprocating within the chamber and capable of compressing air withinthe closed chamber end whereby air is urged through said bypass means bymovement of said door.

3. A device as defined by claim 1 wherein the opposite ends of the plugare slidably mounted within both of the respective chambers.

4. A device as defined by claim 1 wherein the plug means is made ofresilient rubber-like material inserted into chambers juxtadisposed intandem, one chamber secured in fixed position with relation to a frameprovided for said door, another chamber juxtadisposed with said door andadapted to concomitant movement therewith, the door hinged to said frameand held and stabilized in closed position by the normal shape of saidplug means.

5. A device as defined by claim 1, wherein at least one end of the plugmeans is held in place by the inner end of a sleeve inserted into one ofthe chambers, one end of said plug means being provided with a flangereenforced with relatively hard material and secured and impingedbetween the inner end of said sleeve and a closed end provided for oneof said chambers, whereby one end of said plug is secured in a fixedposition and not permitted to reciporcate within one of said chambers.

6. A door closer combination comprising an elastic resilient member madeof rubber-like material slidably inserted into and loosely fittingopposed chambers having centrally aligned co-facing open endsconcomitant with the door and a frame to which said door is swingablyattached, the resilient member being of-round shape in repose when theproximate portions of the door, frame and chambers are juxtadisposed inclosed position of the door, said resilient member freely slidableendwise in both of said chambers during the opening and closing of thedoor, the elastic member capable of reciprocating within and bendingbetween the two chambers when the door is opened, placing said resilientmember under abnormal stress, said resilient member being made ofrubber-like material capable of being bent and thereby distorted out ofround and returning to normal shape in repose when abnormal stress isreleased.

7. A door closer plug made of rubber-like material of deformable naturebeing loosely fitted and inserted into oppositely disposed chambers, onechamber concomitant with a door frame, the opposite chamber concomitantwith the edge of a door hinged to said frame, said plug being of alength to remain in both chambers at all times subject to beingdistorted by bending between the two chambers when the door is opened,at least one end of said plug reciprocating in one chamber during theopening and closing of the door, and providing a resilient pistonsubject to being expanded by air compressed within at least one of saidchambers thereby serving to check closing of the door, thusminimizingslamming, the entire length of that part of said plugreciprocating in at least one chamber and being subject to frictionalstress against the wall of such chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

